From The Archives of BTB

Fans throughout Yankee land were devastated on July 11, 2010 with the disheartening news none of us wanted to hear. The one and only Bob Sheppard, the “Voice of God,” who had served as Yankee Stadium emcee since Mickey Mantle‘s rookie season in 1951, had passed away. Mr. Sheppard, and all of us who loved him and craved hearing his voice so dearly, were bitterly disappointed that he was not healthy enough to appear in the old Stadium’s final season, although video messages from him during the Baseball Cathedral’s last game were a true treasure. We all hoped he would some day christen the new stadium with his voice as well, but that was not to be. It was the beginning of a very bad week in Yankee land. Continue reading →

Hit No. 2,999, a single to left, led off the bottom of the first, and history came two innings later as Derek Jeter powered David Price‘s seventh pitch over the wall in left center for a 2-2 tie in the game, and history, the Yankee Captain’s 3000th career hit. Amazingly, once he scored after his fifth-inning double (No. 3,001), he tied the score again. Although it was followed by a double steal, hit No. 3,002, a sixth-inning single, went for naught, but when he went 5-for-5 on this record-setting day with a single (No. 3,003) in the eighth, he drove in the winning run in a 5-4 Yankee victory over Tampa Bay on July 9, 2011. Continue reading →

Mid season for the national pastime means another All Star Game. All of them have special unique features to showcase. This year in Cincinnati — the ghost of Pete Rose will be one of the talking points.

One of the more memorable of All Star Games took place at Fenway Park July 13, 1999 at the 70th All-Star Game. On hand were the candidates for the All-Century Team as well as the 1999 All Stars. And since it was staged on Boston’s home turf – the center of attraction was Theodore Francis Williams. Continue reading →